Pakistanis in Libya to be evacuated

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced it is making arrangements for evacuating through Tunisia thousands of Pakistanis stranded in violence-hit Libya.

“Our embassy in Tripoli has already registered a large number of Pakistanis and referred their documents to Tunisian authorities for visa on arrival,” a Foreign Office statement said.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said in a statement in the National Assembly that efforts were being made to evacuate the Pakistanis stranded in Libya. He said the country’s ambassador would remain in Tripoli till last of the Pakistanis had been evacuated.

The Foreign Office estimates that there could be up to 6,000 Pakistanis in Libya needing evacuation.

With Libyan airports closed because of the conflict, people are leaving the country through land routes.

16 die in van plunge

MUZAFFARABAD: At least 16 people were killed when a passenger van plunged into a deep ravine in Pakistan’s Kashmir region yesterday, officials said.

The accident happened in the area of Chattha Pal, 150 kilometres southeast of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

“At least 16 people were killed and seven others were wounded, three of them critically when their van plunged into a 300-feet deep ravine,” local administration official Shamim Arif said.

He said the van was overloaded with up to 30 people and speeding.

The driver lost control while taking a sharp turn on the narrow and poorly maintained road in the mountainous region. Local police official Tariq Khan confirmed the accident and deaths.

Pakistan has an appalling record of fatal traffic accidents due to poor roads, badly-maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Agencies